Read any good (real) books lately?

[Guest areacode212]

A while ago, we (meaning 5 of us) voted to allow sci-fi/fantasy discussion in this folder, and we appeared to agree on discussing (non-wrestling) books in general.

 

So have you guys read anything interesting lately? I went to the library on Saturday while waiting for the Panic Room matinee to start, and borrowed Critical Space, by our current favorite Batman/Elektra/Queen & Country writer, Greg Rucka. It's pretty exciting so far.

 

(and yeah, I know someone just came up with a similar thread in the Movies/TV folder)

[Guest muzanisa]

If you can get through the first chapter, Alan Moore's Voice of the Fire is good.

Sustainable development by Jenny Elliot is a good read on a serious topic.

SF fiction last i read and enjoyed were Chaos Engine and Neuromancer.

[Guest gthureson]

I've been reading Robert E. Howard's 'Hour of the Dragon'.

 

Pretty light breezy Conan reading, but still fun.

[Guest starvenger]

I just finished Aaron Alliston's "Rebel Dream", which is part 11 of the 18 (!) part "New Jedi Order" series in the Star Wars books.  This is the series that killed Chewbacca (part 1, "Vector Prime" by R.A. Salvatore) and basically did what episode 1 was supposed to do - make you ENJOY Star Wars, without creating the Ewoks of the 21st century, or using midi-chlorians.

 

I also read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser, which is a VERY interesting look at the business of fast food.  Not exactly comic related, but it'll make you think twice the next time you order a Whopper...

[Guest areacode212]

Holy crap, they killed off Chewbacca in the novels?

 

I have also heard of Fast Food Nation and it sounded interesting. Maybe I'll see if the library has it when I go to return Critical Space tomorrow (7-day loan).

 

There's also a book called Revenge by Laura Blumenfeld which sounds like it might be pretty good. It's gotten a bit of media coverage, so you may have heard of it. Basically, the author is a Washington Post reporter whose father was shot by a Palestinian terrorist back in the 80s. So, she decides to confront the man and his family, while simultaneously learning about revenge. It's supposed to be well-written and it's gotten good reviews, so I'll be looking for that, too.

[Guest]

May straddle the topic a bit, but the chapters of Rucka's No Man's Land novelization I've read were gold.

[Guest treble charged]

I just read "Fifth Business" for school, and that wasn't too bad.  It might be hard to find in the US, though, since Roberston Davies was a Canadian author.

[Guest chirs3]

I dunno if this counts as real, but "Basket Case" by Carl Hiaasen is a hoot and a half.

 

"Sick Puppy" and "Tourist Season" are good too.

[Guest raptor]

I'm finishing Ball Four by Jim Bouton. If you like Baseball at all, it's the perfect book. I've also been reading a lot of Greek Mythology. Crazy stuff, that,

[Guest starvenger]

>I've also been reading a lot of Greek Mythology. Crazy stuff, that

 

Yeah, that Zeus seemed to fuck anything that moved.  And I mean anything.

[Guest Vyce]

I'm reading Bruce Campbell's bio / docubook, "If Chins Could Kill", and it's great.  Bruce is hilarious and incredibly charismatic.  It's a great look at the film business from the "B-movie" perspective.

 

Holy crap, they killed off Chewbacca in the novels?

 

Sure did.  I was upset by that when I first heard the news.  The really sad thing about all of those Star Wars novels is that, while some of them are real stinkers, some are MILES better than the crap Lucas himself is putting out these days.

[Guest starvenger]

>The really sad thing about all of those Star Wars novels is that, while some of them are real stinkers, some are MILES better than the crap Lucas himself is putting out these days.

 

So true.  In fact, the Thrawn Trilogy is unofficially considered the 7-9 movies - and yes, it's that damn good.  Plus given that the current story arc spans 18 or so books, you have to make them good to keep the reader interest up.

[Guest areacode212]

The Thrawn trilogy was awesome. Hopefully Lucas will leave them as-is, and won't turn them into films (inevitably watering them down). I have yet to read the Dark Victory comics--I'll have to put those down on my TPB buying list.

 

How many years after RotJ do the current books take place?

[Guest areacode212]

Remember this thread? This is partly why I decided to rename the folder.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

The Collection by Bentley Little

 

It's a collection of 32 short stories he's written...some of them are great, like Colony, it's about a new president moving into office and finding out that the Queen of England really runs the country.

 

Confessions of a Working Man (or something like that)...Mortal Kombat in the office place for positioning and jobs...hysterical.

 

Plus tons more...not Little's best work...but worth picking up

 

If you want to read some real horror get Bentley Little's "Ignored" or "University"

 

Thank you

[Guest gthureson]

I'm still wading through LOTR.  I've been reading it on and off for 15 years, and I'm still only halfway through the 2nd book.

 

I'm gonna read Gene Wolff's New Sun series when I get around it.

 

This fall, I'm gonna read Jordan's new one and get all pissed off at him again for dragging it out.

 

Uhm.  Other than that, I've just been reading stuff I've already read.  Some collections of short stories and stuff like that.

[Guest Vyce]

I also read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser, which is a VERY interesting look at the business of fast food.  Not exactly comic related, but it'll make you think twice the next time you order a Whopper...

 

Read it.  Was disgusted by it.  Swore off all fast food.  Lasted about a month, then it was back to the quarter pounders with cheese.

 

Are the Neil Jordan books any good?  I want to read the "Wheel of Time" series eventually, but he's taking FOREVER to get the books done, and I just don't want to start a series of 1,000 page novels until I can read the entire saga at one time.

[Guest gthureson]

*Robert* Jordan's books?  (I think Neil Jordan is a completely different kettle of fish, though I can't remember what that kettle is right now.)

 

First five books:  Completely kick ass.  The plots progresses nicely despite their length.

 

Next three books: Erm...poor editing.  Stuff that didn't really grab me (but others liked) started getting alot of 'screen' time.  While characters I really liked got background roles.

 

Last book?: Pace is pickng up nicely again.  Got me looking forward to the fall, so I can see where he takes it.

 

All in all?  A very good series that drags a bit for awhile, but is still worth reading.  Very fleshed out world, interesting ideas, good characters.

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

as gthureson said, jordans first six kicked ass, crown of swords and path of daggers blew chunks, and i really liked winters heart (fucking kill faile already tho!) shadow rising is my fave there for sure.

 

recently i've been reading Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by tad williams (slow start but picks up pace in second novel)

A Song Of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin (Best series of novels EVER!!!)

The Sword Of Truth by Terry Goodkind (pretty cool, although a bit of a WoT ripoff)

Some old Raymond E Feist books (classics)

and of course WoT

[Guest Vyce]

Damnit, I MEANT Robert Jordan.  Don't know why I said Neil.

 

recently i've been reading Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by tad williams

 

Haven't read those yet, but I have read Tad's "Otherland" series, and I thought that was quite good.

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

thats next on my agenda, just need to read pt 2 of the final book in M,S&T

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

The Robert Jordan books are fantastic.

 

I just read the Axis trioligy by Sara Douglas and it kicked ass

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

thats also very good CWM, the wayfarer redemption trilogy is also quite kickass as well.

[Guest starvenger]

>*Robert* Jordan's books?  (I think Neil Jordan is a completely different kettle of fish, though I can't remember what that kettle is right now.)

 

IIRC, he's the director of the Crying Game.

[Guest]

Vyce, you read Fast Food nation and can still eat that stuff? Eaauuuurrggghhhhh... that book was crucial but disturbing. Still highly recommended.

 

I'm just about to start this book I got in the mail, Manwatching by Desmond Morris.

 

No, it's not gay porn. Morris is an animal behaviorist and he turned his talents to observing humankind and showing what our body language, conscious and unconscious, says. Totally great, as are all his books that I've read - you should be able to pick up The Naked Ape at a library or cheaply at a used bookstore.

 

Oh, if anyone has a copy of The Green Futures of Tycho by William Sleator they want to get rid of, let me know!

[Guest Vyce]

Vyce, you read Fast Food nation and can still eat that stuff? Eaauuuurrggghhhhh... that book was crucial but disturbing. Still highly recommended.

 

Call me Tommy Dreamer!

 

Seriously, if I don't think about it, it doesn't bother me too bad.  Although I know it should.

 

All part of my plan to slowly kill myself with hard living and sweet, sweet fried foods.

[Guest chirs3]

Real books?

 

"Basket Case" by Carl Hiaasen. Anything by that man is a hoot and a half. ("Sick Puppy" and "Tourist Season" are also recommended)

 

And I recently re-read "The Haunting of Hill House" which is a billion times better than the recent movie adaptation.

[Guest raptor]

I just finished Slapstick and Deadeye Dick by Kurt Vonnegut. I love Vonnegut, and am trying to read all his books (I've read Breakfast of Champions, Slaughterhouse Five, Sirens of Titan, and Welcome to the Monkey House)

 

I highly recommend all but Deadeye Dick. It was good, but not one of his best.

[Guest Vyce]

And I recently re-read "The Haunting of Hill House" which is a billion times better than the recent movie adaptation.

 

Agreed.

 

But I actually liked the recent movie version.  It was goofy B-movie fun.  Anything that has haunted asylums is nifty in my book.

[Guest godthedog]

vonnegut helped me make it through high school. it's sad how much his ability has deteriorated, i couldn't even finish 'god bless you, dr kevorkian (sp?)' because the whole thing was just a bunch of recycled ideas from his old books.

 

incidentally, does anyone on this board read joyce?